From the Top is an online video course presented by the legendary bass player and renowned educator John Goldsby.
This course is designed for beginner students to give you the best possible start on your jazz double bass journey, but it's also a great fit for those who wish to revisit the fundamentals. Presented by one of the bass world's most esteemed educators, there's no fluff, just impactful lessons that will make a real difference to your playing. The course comprises 40 step-by-step lessons over three and a half hours, covering the fundamentals of technique and jazz bass playing.
Many of the videos feature live demonstrations with piano and drums. We also provide play-along tracks with three mixes of each recording:
- Trio
- Piano and drums only
- Bass only
Detailed transcriptions of John Goldsby’s original exercises and demonstrations are included in the course. There are 65 pages of sheet music, so you will have everything you need to practice at home.
This course is available to stream online, exclusively at Discover Double Bass.
Artist
John Goldsby, a member of the WDR big band for 30 years, is a renowned bassist, educator, author and featured columnist for BassMagazine.com and Bass Player Magazine. His hugely popular 'The Jazz Bass Book' has become required reading for any serious student of jazz bass.
Learning to play jazz double bass can be daunting, so I'm here to teach you the foundations of technique and improvisation.
What will I learn?
The 40 video lessons cover a wide range of topics on the fundamentals for new bassists or those wishing to revisit the basics. These include:
- Posture and holding the bass
- Finding the notes
- Left and right hand technique
- Intonation and playing in tune
- Shifting up and down the neck
- Vibrato and expression
- Time keeping
- Making the switch from bass guitar to double bass
- Playing jazz and funk standards
- The foundations of creating walking bass lines
- ...and much more!
Many of the concepts are demonstrated using the jazz standards Summertime, Embraceable You, and Bass Family Blues as well as bossa and funk grooves. Our goal is to get you playing with a band as soon as possible, so the play-along tracks are a great way to prepare in your own time.
Want to check out a free preview lesson? Click here.
Transcriptions
Detailed transcriptions of John Goldsby's bass lines, solos and exercises are included. These PDFs are displayed on the lesson pages and can be downloaded if required. There are 65 pages of sheet music in this course, so you won't run out of new music to learn!
Play-Along Tracks:
We have provided play-along tracks performed by John Goldsby, pianist Jamil Sheriff and drummer Caroline Boaden. These MP3s can be played directly from the lesson pages or downloaded.
Here's what's being said about John's teachings:
"You can’t learn from a better teacher."
- Peter Erskine, legendary jazz drummer.
"John Goldsby is a marvelous player and educator. His teaching methods have been tried and proven effective around the world"
- Jamey Aebersold, NEA Jazz Master, renowned educator & author.
25% OFF THIS WEEK ONLY.
Full price, $149. Offer ends on the 4th of October.
Start Learning!
Frequently Asked Questions
Our courses are only available on DiscoverDoubleBass.com and include a 30 day, no questions asked, full refund policy.
Have questions or need help? Contact us.